Will CM's post turn friends into foes?

As the alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena seems to be blowing hot and cold, the latest incident is sure to add fuel to the simmering tension between the two parties.

The wall painting, which is just 100 metres from Matoshree, the Thackeray residence. Pic/Ronak Savla

A wall painting has come up in Kala Nagar, just 100 metres from the Thackerays's residence Matoshree, stating: Delhi mein Modi sarkar… Maharashtra mein abki baar Gopinath Munde sarkar. (Narendra Modi's government in Delhi, and Gopinath Munde's government in Maharashtra)."

The painting, however, lacks mention of names of leaders from either parties. Though the Sena has already staked claimed to the chief minister's post, the BJP seems to be getting ambitious after its emphatic win during the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. This seems to be widening the rift between the alliance partners.

During the Sena's youth convention at Alibaug in January, Aaditya Thackeray had said, "In Delhi, we want Modiji's government, and Uddhavji's government in Maharashtra." Sena's spokesperson Bharat Kumar Raut said, "I'm not authorised to comment on this issue. Only Uddhavsaheb will be able to do so."

While Sena remained noncommittal on the matter, BJP's Mumbai spokesperson Niranjan Shetty said, "This painting has not been ordered by the Mumbai BJP. Yes, a lot of our people want Mundeji to lead Maharashtra, so there is a possibility that a few party workers may have expressed their opinion."

The wall painting, which is just 100 metres from Matoshree, the Thackeray residence. Pic/Ronak Savla